Do Not Go Gently
by esotaria
Summary: Tifa gives Vincent the scolding of a lifetime...and something to think about.


Do Not Go Gently  
by Katie  
Disclaimer: Squaresoft's. Not mine, Squaresoft's.  


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Inside Barret's home, the members of Avalanche gathered to catch up and make plans for the future. Cloud, Barret, and Cid were in the kitchen, talking about weapons and fighting strategies, and reliving old victories. Aeris and Tifa stood in the living room, laughing over childhood stories as little Marlene scribbled on a piece of paper at their feet. Vincent stood by the window, looking out morosely. He spoke with none.  
  
Marlene finished her drawing, and studied it with great satisfaction. Having verified that it was perfect, she stood, and trotted over to the window where Vincent stood. He ignored her.  
  
Marlene frowned, and tugged on his cape.  
  
Mr. Valentine, she said, Mr. Valentine!  
  
Vincent was forced to give her his attention. The look on his face made it perfectly clear that he did it unwillingly.  
  
Marlene held up her drawing.  
  
You looked sad, she said. I drew you a flower to cheer you up. She gestured for him to take the drawing.  
  
It's a daisy, she said confidingly. The flower lady says there's nothing happier than a daisy.  
  
Vincent's stern gaze did not soften, nor did he accept the gift. Without acknowledging the young girl's kindness he turned away from her, and strode out the door. The paper fell out of Marlene's lifeless fingers, and she stood rooted to her spot. Her little mouth hung open in shock, and her eyes glistened with tears.  
  
Tifa and Aeris' conversation was abruptly interrupted by the sound of Marlene crying. Both girls rushed to the sobbing child's side. Aeris knelt by Marlene, picked her up, and cradled her soothingly.  
  
Shhhh, she murmured. It's okay, dear. It's okay. Tell the flower lady what happened.  
  
Marlene sniffled, and told her story.  
  
Did I do something wrong? she asked pitifully.  
  
No! Aeris reassured the little girl. No, you did something very nice. It was very wrong of Vincent to treat you like that. He's just in a very bad mood, but you did nothing. It's not your fault at all.  
  
Tifa looked murderous.  
  
That red-eyed bastard... she growled.  
  
Hush, Tifa, Aeris chided. I know what Vincent did was wrong, but... Aeris paused, unsure whether to elaborate further. Well, he's in a lot of pain right now.  
  
And that gives him an excuse to hurt an innocent little girl who just wanted to cheer him up? Tifa snapped. I sure as hell don't think so.  
  
It's Lucrecia's birthday, Aeris explained reluctantly.  
  
Tifa snorted contemptuously.  
  
Somebody needs to give that guy a reality check, she said, getting ready to head out the door. He's been nursing that god-damn broken-heart of his for thirty-five god-damn years.  


} * {  


Vincent leaned against the trunk of the tree, lost in his living nightmare. He barely registered the approach of a furious Tifa.  
  
Do you have any bloody idea what you just did? she snarled.  
  
Vincent did not respond.  
  
Marlene's in tears, she continued. She's sobbing her poor little heart out because she thinks YOUR cruelty is HER fault.  
  
Vincent turned away, saying without words he did not care for her opinion.  
  
Oh no you don't, Tifa snapped, grabbing Vincent's shoulder. She whirled him back around to face her. Aeris told me what today is. Thirty-fifth annual Vincent Cranks Up the Self-Pity Day. Her voice was filled with contempt. You're like the perfect tragic hero for some crappy romance novel. Tall, dark, handsome, and haunted. The very air around stinks with tragedy.  
  
Do not mock me. Vincent's voice was hard.  
  
You think I'm mocking you? Tifa asked. You've got a lot to learn, Vampire Boy. Mocking implies some sort of humor, and I'm dead serious.  
  
She paused, and let her words sink in, before contiuing her tirade.  
  
Lucrecia's dead, Vincent, she said. Dead. As in D-E-A-D. You loved her, you lost her, that was thirty-five years ago, GET OVER IT. And don't pull any of that you don't understand' crap, because there's nothing to understand. You fell in love with her, she got pregnant by some a-hole scientist who experimented on her baby and killed her, and now you have a major guilt complex. Extraordinarily simple. Now, I can understand the guilt, and I can sympathize with the pain, but you have gone too far. You live in the past, in mind if not in body. You're destroying your future, Vincent. You have eternity ahead of you. You may not have asked for it, you may not want it, but you have it. Are you going to waste it on regrets, what-might-have-beens, and useless desires? Do you really think that's what Lucrecia would want you to do? Do you think she would like the man you've become?  
  
Tifa's every word hit Vincent like a bullet. His legendary control was fast dissipating. His hand visibly trembled, and his stoic expression held a hint of hysteria. But Tifa wasn't finished with him.  
  
She loved you. Maybe not as much as you loved her, but she did care for you. And she would beat herself to pieces for causing you to become what you are. Hell, if there's an afterlife, your pathetic existance probably haunts her just as much as her death haunts you. Do you really want to ruin her afterlife like you did her life?  
  
Get a therapist, Vincent. Learn from your mistakes, and move on. This obsessional self-pity is going to destroy you, and you're going to drag down everyone you know with you. Then Lucrecia's blood won't be the only blood on your hands.  
  
Tifa left Vincent to face the unpleasant truth.  


} * {  
Fini


End file.
